


A Second Chance for All

by Jace_Stump20



Category: Call of Duty (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Price adopts the shit out of some kids, badthings, good things, things happen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:27:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23682364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jace_Stump20/pseuds/Jace_Stump20
Summary: Laswell: Captain Price, these kids need a home or they'll be sent away.Price, adoption papers at the ready: Bring itAKA: "I retried from the military, how hard can raising children be?"AKA: the foster dad AU no one asked for but I wrote anyway.
Relationships: Simon "Ghost" Riley/Gary "Roach" Sanderson
Comments: 16
Kudos: 80





	1. Starting Over

Captain John Price pulled into the driveway of his new house and sighed. Parking his truck, he went to open the front door so when the movers got here everything could be loaded in. It was a much bigger house than he would have usually bought, but he decided it was worth it. The space would be good for him, he could have a home office now, and he was considering adding a bar and a small in home gym to some of the other extra rooms. After all, with his new line of work he’d need to keep himself in top shape. 

He’d been retired for three years now, having left the Army after he’d been rescued from the gulag and recovered. Well, recovered physically. Mentally, he’d still been processing what happened, so the Army had thanked him for his service and sent him on his way with an honorable discharge and a bonus severance package. 

He was much better now, the nightmares were less frequent and he wasn’t as bothered by flashbacks as he had been. Talking to his therapist was helping, and he was going to be starting his new civilian job as a member of the local police force in a few weeks. 

The silence of the new house was deafening. He was used to the barracks, or his flat, with ambient noises of other people’s lives around him. It had been too hard for him to stay in his flat though, after everything. The walls felt suffocating, and he found he couldn’t relax knowing there were other people so close. So he’d moved out here, to a quiet neighborhood with big houses and neat, well groomed lawns. His black pickup truck looked out of place on a street full of mini-vans and hatchbacks, and he knew people would be suspicious of the single man moving into their area. 

His therapist had also suggested getting a dog, and the house certainly had a wide enough back yard for one. It even had an in-ground pool, though Price didn’t know how much time he’d spend in it. He would have to put up a fence, but that wouldn’t be too much work. His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the moving truck, and Price made his way back out front to direct the movers inside. 

Since his old flat had been relatively small, there wasn’t a whole lot of furniture to put in the house. It only took the movers three trips to bring everything inside, and Price was soon alone again, unpacking boxes out of the bed of his truck and bringing them in. 

“First thing tomorrow, I’m going shopping. More furniture, groceries, and some fencing,” the words echoed in the silent house. 

The rest of the day was spent unpacking boxes and placing his personal belongings around the house, trying to make it feel more like a home. There was just one problem with that. Price wasn’t a very sentimental man, and he didn’t have a lot of personal belongings. A picture of his family went on the fireplace mantle; a picture of his former unit, taken their first day out of Basic went on the wall near the front entrance. A few random landscape paintings he had bought over the years because they looked nice went in the living room. 

As he was going through the boxes and pulling out pictures, he stumbled upon a picture he hadn’t seen in a long time. It had been taken about two years before he was captured, a picture of him and his old commanding officer, a man named MacMillan. Mac had been like a father figure to Price, and hearing about his death when he had come out of captivity had shaken him. Mac had never had children of his own, and had always lamented that to Price and the other men in his unit: “When you get out of this life, find a good girl and settle down. Have kids. Don’t waste your life in the army like I did.” 

Price had never had the good girl. He’d had a couple of high school sweethearts, but since he’d joined the Army at 16 he’d never really gotten a chance to consider seriously settling down. Shaking his head to clear the thoughts, he set the picture of himself and Mac on the mantle next to the picture of him and his family; and that was it. “More pictures or something to take up some space,” he muttered, adding that to his mental list of things to buy the next day. 

Once everything was unpacked, he walked through the house, making notes on his phone of what he needed to buy. A new desk, computer and chair for the home office he hadn’t expected he would have, a bookshelf for the books currently stacked in their boxes in the living room, and a better TV–he had to admit, as much as he loved his current one, it was very outdated. He was always surprised it still worked. A coffee maker for the kitchen as well as a toaster and a microwave would also be in the list, and so do some more silverware, and a few more plates and cups. And some follow up: a shower curtain for the bathroom, laundry detergent for the washer, an ironing board, and last but not least, some lamps for the living room and his bedroom. “Well, that’s quite a lot to buy,” Price murmured to himself just after he was done listing. Nothing he could not handle though. 

As he walked through the house, he was a bit shocked to find that, even with his planning, he still had an empty room. He didn’t really know what he was going to do with it, so he closed the door to the room, deciding to leave it empty for now. 

Once the list was made, he grabbed his keys and wallet and headed out, locking the door behind him, then double checking to make sure it was locked before he climbed into his pickup truck and started it up. 

After such a long day of work, he was treating himself to dinner at his favorite bar/restaurant. It was a small place, never very busy, and they had some of the best food in town. He might have picked the house he had just for its proximity to the place, but he’d never admit it out loud. 

Twenty minutes later he was sitting in his favorite booth in the back, drinking a beer and eating a plate of beef steak– medium rare–and fries. As usual, the restaurant was quiet, and the bartender, a man named Jasper, took some time to come over to Price for a small chat. 

“Hey old man, how’re you?” 

Price, having known the bartender for a good while, only gave a dry reply at the conversational starter, “Watch it lad. I can still kick your ass.” 

Jasper laughed, leaning on the booth so he could chat and still keep an eye on the door and bar. “You moved today, didn’t you? How’d it go?” 

“It went well. New place is huge. I don’t know what I’ll do with all that space,” Price uttered in between bites of his food, glancing at the man every so often. 

“Maybe you’ll finally have to develop a hobby.” 

“Heaven forbid.” 

Jesper only cackled over Price’s response. He knew that it sure as hell would not be easy for the old man if he were to really develop a hobby. Remembering something he wanted to tell Price, he chose to drop the previous topic before he started, “Hey, you looking for a dog? ’Cuz the local police station is having an adoption day in a week for their retiring K-9 units. You’re going to be working for them right? This might be a good chance to meet your coworkers as well. ” 

Price’s hand stopped on its track to deliver the food to his mouth, his brow cocked a little. “Are they now?” he inquired. Meeting the coworkers could be done as he started the job. The dog adoption, however, was what actually caught his interest. His therapist suggested him to get a dog to help with his therapy, and now that the chance presented itself, he might as well go to the event. “I’ll keep that in mind, thanks,” Price finally muttered after a few moments of contemplation.

“Anytime.” Jasper smiled, and proceeded to sigh as a large group of college age kids came in. “I’d better get back to work. I’ll have Molly come round with the bill in just a bit.” With that, he went back to his station, leaving Price alone with his meal.

“Hello, you,” Molly finally made an appearance in front of Price a few minutes after Jasper went back to his station. Molly was the waitress, a junior in college who majored in business administration. She was also Jasper’s fiancée. Molly smiled as she set his bill on the table before saying, “You want any dessert? It’s on the house.” 

Price gave a curt nod in reply to Molly’s smile offered to him, and then went silent to consider the waitress’s offer. The free dessert sounded tempting. “Just this once then,” he finally accepted.

“Your usual?” 

“Yes, please.” 

With a chuckle, Molly went into the back to get the chocolate ice cream they kept on hand for Price. 

The next day, Price was up early as he usually was. He’d slept better than he’d thought in this new place, and he made his way downstairs to the kitchen for some breakfast, admiring the way the morning sun streamed through the windows. As he walked down the hall, the closed door of the empty room seemed to taunt him. He didn’t like the empty space– it left him feeling anxious. He decided to think of something he could use that room for before it drove him mad. 

A bowl of cereal later, he went back upstairs to shower and get ready for the busy day he had ahead. First stop would be the local furniture store to buy what he needed and set up the delivery, then the electronics store for his computer and TV, then the hardware store so he could get started on the fence in his backyard, then the grocery store. Having today planned, he turned off the water, dried off and dressed for the day in worn jeans and a beige t-shirt, grabbing his phone, keys and wallet before heading out. 

It was late in the afternoon when he returned home again. The furniture would be arriving the next day, his fridge and cupboards were well stocked, and he had the fencing supplies piled on his back porch to begin work tomorrow. 

He spent the night relaxing with TV and a home cooked meal before turning in. 

The days passed like that that until it was the day of the police dog adoption. Price hadn’t consciously decided to adopt, but had had been looking at food, dishes, leashes, collars and pet beds online, so he decided to go, just to see what it was like. 

He pulled in, and there weren’t a lot of cars in the parking lot. The event was taking place at a local shelter, so he made his way inside and asked at the front desk. He was directed to the small side yard, where there were three officers and about five dogs. 

“Hello, Sir,” one of the officers greeted him with a friendly smile, and continued, “Welcome to the adoption shelter.” 

“Hello,” Price returned the gesture by giving a light nod.

The officer did not further the greetings session and instead fell into silence as he observed Price. “Wait a minute. I know your face,” he exclaimed. “You’re going to be joining our force soon right?”

Price looked at the officer–oh, he must be one of his future coworkers then. “Yeah, John Price,” he decided to introduced himself, “Nice to meet you.” 

“I’m Michael Rogers. Nice to meet you too, Sir,” the lad offered his hand to Price for a handshake, in which the other took it in a firm grip. “So,” he began as he pulled his hand back to his side, “I’m guessing you’re interested in adopting our good boys here?” 

“Well, things have been pretty quiet at my house, and I’ve been considering getting a dog for a while,” Price admitted. “A friend told me about this event.” “Are you sure you’re fit to take in a retired K-9? We don’t usually recommend them for first time pet owners.” 

“I had some experience with K-9’s during my time in the Army.” 

“Well, thank you for your service. Why don’t you get to know the dogs and we’ll take it from there.” 

Price gave another nod, and made his way over to the dogs, making himself as non-threatening as possible, avoiding eye contact and moving slowly. He knelt down as he got closer, and carefully let the dogs came to him and sniffed him, allowing them to get comfortable with him. There was some beautiful–mostly black one with a few brown–patches on his paws and stomach that caught his eye.   
The dog seemed to like Price too, walking up and butting him with his head, letting Price pet him, tail wagging a bit. 

“That one’s Colt. He’s a good boy, even tempered. He was a drug sniffing dog, so not as aggressive,” Michael stated rather quietly so that he would interrupt Price and startled the dog. 

“I like him.” Price smiled, scratching the dog’s head. “What do you say boy? Wanna be my dog?” 

Colt gave a low woof, and wagged his tail, making the officers laugh. “That settles it then. If you could just follow us, we’ll get you started filling out the paperwork.” 

Price stood up and followed the officer back to the front desk. On his way through the building, he looked through the window on the door of the wing where the shelter dogs were. He wasn’t planning on adopting more than one dog right from the start, but he remembered reading somewhere that older K-9 dogs often needed a younger dog to look after. He’d let the idea sit in his mind while he filled out the paperwork. 

As he filled out the paperwork with his information, Colt kept nudging him and turning in the direction of the dog wing. Finally, the application filled out, and then Price stood up and let Colt lead him to the doors. “Is he allowed back here?” 

“No, I’m sorry.” The receptionist replied. 

“Wait here.” Price ordered. Colt sat down with a huff, but stayed. 

Price wasn’t sure why he was looking at the other dogs, but something was compelling him. As he walked past the rows of cages, he found one cage with a tiny puppy inside. He couldn’t have been more than a year old, and looked terrified. Price got the attention of a worker. “Excuse me, what can you tell me about this puppy?” 

“Oh him, it’s sad really,” the worker who noticed Price began, “He was brought in by a woman, she said she found him wandering her street, alone and crying. We scanned him for a microchip but couldn’t find one.”

Price looked at the puppy again. The puppy had noticed him, and was pressing his face to the bars, tail wagging. “If my other dog likes him, I’ll take him,” Price voiced his decision. 

“Alright sir, give me a moment.” The worker smiled and opened the cage, clipping a lead to the collar the puppy wore. “If you’ll follow me,” she gestured, before leading them to a small side room. “We’ll wait here, you bring your other dog in, and we’ll see how it goes.” 

Price nodded and went to get Colt. “Follow, heel.” The older dog fell into place behind Price as they went to the room. He opened the door and then closed it behind them. “Sit.” 

Colt sat, head cocked to one side as he sniffed the air, smelling the puppy. 

The worker carefully placed the puppy on the ground, and he approached the older dog. Colt sniffed him once or twice, then his tail wagged and he nudged the puppy closer. 

“Well, that settles it,” the worker chuckled upon the sight presented before her. “I’ll get you the paperwork then.” With that, she left the room to get the adoption form. 

An hour later, Price was leaving the shelter with his two dogs, Colt and Remington. He hadn’t been expecting to get two dogs, but they had both needed a good home. A quick trip to the pet store later, his truck bed was loaded with food and water dishes, a bag of puppy food, a bag of dog food, toys, new leashes and collars as well as harnesses for walks, beds and treats. He would do some research into nearby vet clinics to get Remy in for a check-up and a microchipping as soon as he could. 

With two dogs, the house felt more like home. Their toys were scattered all over in a matter of hours, and they both wanted to hang out near Price as he worked around the house. Still though, he felt like something was missing. 

The dogs kept Price busy. He would get up early, take them on a walk before work, come back, shower and dress in his uniform before making sure their food and water bowls were full and leaving. Once he came home from work, he’d change out of his uniform, walk the dogs again, make himself some dinner, relax with some TV and then go to sleep. It’s mostly wash, rinse, and repeat. 

One night, about three weeks after he’d adopted the dogs, Price woke up in a cold sweat, with the echoes of his screams in the still air. As he sat in the dark, trying to process what had happened, the door creaked open. Price went for the gun under his pillow, only to remember he didn’t have it any more. All his guns were locked in their safe in the basement. It was only his dogs, apparently. Colt hopped onto the bed, nuzzling Price worriedly. Remy also hopped onto the bed, after a bit of struggle because he was so tiny. With his two dogs comforting him, Price was able to sleep again that night. 

The idea came to him as he was browsing the web one night. He was reading the local newspaper when he saw an article about a teenager who got arrested for selling drugs at his school. The boy’s foster parents were at the end of their rope with him and were planning to send him back to the foster system once the court case was settled. 

A quick Google search later, Price found a center for “high-risk” foster kids nearby. It couldn’t hurt him to at least put in an application to be a foster dad. Much like his two dogs, these kids needed a good home, and Price knew he could handle them, thanks to his training. “Alright boys, we’re going to try and get you some more humans.” Price spoke. Colt looked up from where he was laying, chewing on a bone, and gave a low woof, whereas Remy jumped to his paws and barked excitedly, 

“Quiet,” Price admonished, and the puppy fell silent. Price had decided, to keep things simple, to train Remy with the same commands Colt was used to responding to. That way the puppy could watch the older dog for cues on what to do. He was also looking into classes to get Remy certified as a service dog or a support animal. 

He filled out the kids adoption application form before letting the dogs out for one last bathroom break and heading to bed. He got settled into bed, Colt curled up next to him, and Remy settling on his feet. Price turned the light out and drifted off. 

It was a few days later when his phone rang. Price was cooking when his phone lit up with a call from a number he didn’t recognize. He almost didn’t pick up, but finally decided to. “Hullo, Price speaking.” “Mr. Price, this is Mrs. Laswell,” the voice on the other line of the phone told him. “I’m with the Maple Bay foster care. I was calling in regards to the application form you filled out a few days ago.” 

“Alright, go on.” “If you want to move forward, we would need to schedule a house check. It’s standard procedure for all our potential foster parents. We would also need to conduct an interview, and there are some parenting classes we would need you to pass.” 

“Sounds good,” Price answered over the phone. “When’s the earliest you could come by?” “I can come over tomorrow around three, if that works,” Mrs. Laswell suggested, before she continued, “We can also do the interview then, and get you scheduled for the classes.” 

Price considered the woman’s words before agreeing, “Tomorrow at three works for me. I’ll see you then.”   
“Very well, thank you Mr. Price. Have a good day.” “You as well,” was all what Price said before he hung up, then turning back to the food on his stove. “Alright boys,” he declared a few moments later, attention turned to his dogs. “We’re gonna spend the day cleaning this house top to bottom, understand?” 

“Ruff!”   
“Woof!” 

Price smirked as he crouched down to caress both Colt and Remy’s head, satisfied at how his dogs seemed to understand and agree with him. “Good boys.”


	2. Bravo Six, Going Dad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some mild fluff and bonding with Price and his first placement.

The next day after he’d taken the dogs for their morning walk, Price did one last check of the house and changed into some nicer clothes. He took the time to sit down and draw up a plan for how he wanted the bedroom to look once he’d gotten the furniture as well. Mostly though, he was just trying to distract himself from looking at the clock. 

At three on the dot, there was a knock on the door. Price made his way over and opened it, smiling at the woman standing on the doorstep. 

“Welcome,” Price greeted the woman whose presence he had been expecting with a business smile, “you must be Mrs. Laswell. I’m John Price, come in.” 

“Nice to meet you Mr. Price. And yes, I’m Kate Laswell,” she smiled as she stepped in. Remy trotted over, tail wagging as he took in this new human in his house. Colt followed, a little more cautious. “Oh hello,” Mrs. Laswell greeted the two dogs upon noticing their presence. “My, aren’t you two adorable. You must be Colt and Remington.” 

“The older one’s Colt, the puppy is Remy.” 

The woman only nodded her head in acknowledgement at the introduction Price given her. She then shifted her gaze to do a quick scan of the room before she finally uttered, “Well, I’m very impressed with the initial cleanliness of the place. You seem to do a great job looking after everything. Why don’t we do a house tour and then we can do the interview.” 

“Sure, right this way.” Price led her through the house, showing her the home office, the kitchen, the living room, and the basement. She raised her eyebrow at the gun locker. 

“I assume you have a license for those?” she inquired, voice layered with doubt. “I do,” Price affirmed. “The key never leaves my safety deposit box‒ it’s on my key ring. I was in the Army for several years, and I am a police officer. The children will never get their hands on those guns.” 

“Well you do seem like a very responsible man. I will have to make a note of this in your file you understand. Our children and teens are high risk, having guns in their environment might not be the best.” She reckoned that the explanation was needed to avoid any misunderstanding. “However, since you take very good precautions, I don’t see why we shouldn’t be able to proceed.”   
After the basement they headed upstairs so Price could show her the bedroom the child would sleep in. 

“I haven’t had a chance to buy any furniture yet,” he clarified upon the lack of furnishings once they both got to soon-to-be the child’s bedroom. “I wanted to make sure everything went well first, but I do have a plan for how the room will look once I get everything that I can show you.” 

Then he led her up the stairs and to the second door on the left. “My room is right across the hall, there’s one bathroom on the last door on the right, and one next to my room. There are also other bedrooms, if the child decides they don’t like this one.” He opened the door, revealing a good sized room. The walls were a light blue, and the wood floor was clean. There was a nice sized closet on the left as well as two wide windows. 

“I was going to get a twin bed, put it up against the right wall. The dresser would go next to the closet, and I would put a desk near the window there. If they wanted anything else, I’d get it, within reason of course.” 

“Well it sounds like you have a plan, which is good,” the content smile Mrs. Laswell presented him seemed to show that she approved whatever Price had been planning so far. “Shall we go to the living room for the interview?”“Of course,” Price granted the request, then inquired just before they proceed, “Can I get you anything to drink before? Coffee, tea, water?” 

“I’ll have a glass of water, thank you.” 

Price led her back to the living room and went to get two glasses of water. Colt lay at his feet, while Remy jumped up on the couch to earn himself some pats from Mrs. Laswell. 

“Remy, down boy,” the puppy’s behavior of course wasn’t what Price expected him to do to his guest knowing that not all people could handle dogs up close, hence he voiced the command.

“Oh no, it’s okay. I like dogs,” she gestured Price not to mind what Remy was doing with a small wave of her hand.

“...As long as you’re sure then.” Price took a deep breath before he spoke again, “Alright. So, what do you need to know?” 

“It says you’re working for the Maple Bay police force. I called them and they verified this,” Mrs. Laswell began as her hand fumbled with her handbag to get a pen and her clipboard. “Do you think that job will make it difficult for you to raise these kids? Especially as these children might not have always had the best experiences with the law. How would you react if they tried to get violent with you because of your job?” 

“I leave my work at home. I would make sure the children understood I’m their legal guardian first, and an officer of the law second. Unless they intend to hurt myself or others, I see no reason to involve my work in the home life. As for handling outbursts, I will never raise a hand to the child, I would just try and calm them down and see if I can talk out the issue. If they attack me first, I have training in how to defend myself without hurting anyone.” 

Mrs. Laswell paused herself from taking notes of what Price said and raised an eyebrow again, but what he was saying wasn’t the wrong thing. He would try a non violent approach and only respond physically if there was no other option. Clearing her throat, she took a sip of her water before she asked the next question, “And your military past, will that cause any issues?” 

“I don’t think so. I see a therapist every week through the VA and I have my dogs that provide me with support. I do get nightmares every so often, but I’ve learned to manage them. I don’t have flashbacks anymore, or at the very least I haven’t suffered one in over a year since my return.” 

Mrs. Laswell nodded, looking down at her clipboard. “Any current relationships or significant others?” 

“No, Ma’am. I don’t really have time for dating, and I wouldn’t want to start dating while fostering a child because I wouldn’t want to throw off their life.” 

She made a few notes on her clipboard. “And you have health insurance I assume?” 

Price nodded. “Yes Ma’am. It covers hospital visits, doctor’s appointments, dental and vision.” 

“Any family?” She asked, looking up at him. 

“Just my mother, but I haven’t seen her in a few years. Not because we don’t get along, but because she lives in England.” 

She nodded and wrote a few things down. “Well, I must say I’m very impressed. So the parenting classes will start next week. You have to take them for two months and pass them before we can place a child with you. Once you have a placement, we’ll have regular meetings to discuss how you like the child, regular home visits for the first six months, stuff like that. You’ll always be notified of the placement meetings, but the home visits will be random. We will of course take your job into consideration when making them however. I look forward to working with you Mr. Price.” She stood up and offered her hand, in which Price shook it before he showed her out. 

That evening, he cleaned up and made dinner before heading to bed, feeling a bit more confident in this decision than he had a few days ago. 

It was about three months later when the call came in. Price had spent the time working, he loved his job, every one of the officers was nice and his chief, a man named Zane Mackenzie, was a former military man like himself, though Zane had been a SEAL. 

When he wasn’t at work, he’d been taking the parenting classes, where he’d met a nice man named Elias Walker. Elias lived in the same neighborhood, a block away from Price. Like Price, he had a retired K-9, in his case the dog he’d served with in the war named Riley. Riley had met Colt and Remy, and the three loved to play together. Elias was the sole parent to his two sons, Logan and David, and was mandated to take these classes after his return from the Army. Elias was desperate to get his sons back ,and the two men often rode to the classes together and helped each other with the projects they were assigned. Elias even helped Price with handy work around his house. Summer was almost here, so they worked on opening his pool, cleaning it, making sure it was properly chlorinated and installing a diving board into the deep end. Price then bought a grill and some patio furniture, as well as buying the furniture for the possible child’s bedroom, which Elias helped him pick out. All in all, the house was ready for kids. 

He was out grilling steaks in the backyard when his cell phone lit up with Kate’s number. “Hullo, Price speaking.” 

“Hello Mr. Price, I hate to call you so suddenly, but there’s been a bit of a situation.” Kate sounded frantic. 

“What’s going on?” 

“We’ve had to remove a young man from his house, CPS was called, there were abuse allegations that turned out to be true. He’s about 16, we can’t place him with any of our other families because they’re all full. I normally wouldn’t do this to you for your first placement, but I don't have anyone else. I promise it will only be temporary.” 

“I can take him, no worries.” Price assured, adding another steak to the grill. 

“Thank you Mr. Price, you are a lifesaver. I’ll be over with him in about an hour,” with that, the call was ended.

Price finished grilling and set the food on the table, before putting the dogs in the backyard, not wanting to scare this kid. He went up to the bedroom, opened the windows a bit, made up the bed with clean sheets and put out a bag of toiletries in case the boy didn’t have his own. He wasn’t sure what to expect, so he wanted to do as much as he could. 

When he heard the knock on the door, he went back downstairs and opened it. “Hello Mrs. Laswell, come on in.” He noticed the teen standing behind her. He seemed sullen, brown hair in front of his face, and his eyes were downcast. He was wearing a lot of black, and only clutched a small backpack. 

“Mr. Price, this is Simon Riley.” Mrs. Laswell introduced them. “Please, just call me Price. I’m not a big fan of formalities,” Price directed the statement to the woman, then he diverted his attention towards the teenager, “Why don’t I show you to your room and you can put your stuff down. Have you eaten?” 

Simon said nothing, but he shook his head. 

“Well, I made some extra in preparation for you. We’ll eat together once you’re settled.” Price said, his voice soft but firm. “Your room is this way.” With that, he led Simon (and Mrs. Laswell who was following them nervously) up the stairs and to the bedroom. “Go ahead and get settled, come down when you’re ready to eat. If you need anything, let me know.” 

Price turned and led the woman back downstairs. 

“If he’s any trouble at all just call me and I’ll figure something else out.” She said, glancing up the stairs. “He hasn’t said a word since I got him, I don’t think he can talk. Or he just doesn’t want to.” 

“I’ll be fine. Poor kid’s just a bit shellshocked, I’ve seen this before it’s nothing I can’t handle. Go on, we’ll be okay.” 

“Thank you again Mr. Price.” She was already on her way out. 

“Any time Mrs. Laswell.” He closed the door behind her. 

Once the door was shut, Price headed to the dining room to sit down to eat. Movement upstairs alerted him that Simon was on his way down. 

Price knew what the kid was going through. He’d seen it all the time with the kids they pulled out of war zones, the trauma they witnessed left them scarred and emotionally distant. So he knew not to push Simon, or try and force anything. The best thing to do was to treat the boy like a wounded animal; give him space and show him he can trust you. So, when Simon finally came downstairs, Price didn’t look up from his food, simply pointed out the boy’s food to him. 

Simon, for his part, was confused. He had been pulled from his house and just...left here with this strange man. Apparently this would be his permanent residence if he wanted it to be, and the man agreed to keep him around, but he was scared. This was new, this was unsettling. His guard was up, waiting for the blows to fall. And yet...the man had cooked dinner for him. He couldn’t have known Simon was coming until a little while ago, but he’d made him a steak and potatoes, and there was even a glass of milk. Simon paused as he looked at the food. He didn’t know if this man, Price, expected him to stay and eat with him or not. Simon didn’t feel ready for that yet though, so hesitantly, as if expecting the food to be snatched away at any moment, Simon grabbed the plate before retreating back up to the room he was staying in. 

“Just so you know, I have two dogs. I’m going to let them back in, unless it will upset you in any way.” Price called up the stairs to his new ward. 

Simon didn’t say anything, but the door took a little longer to close, so Price took it as a signal he agreed to let the dogs in. 

Colt and Remy padded in cautiously, sniffing the air, heads tilted to the side as they took in the new scent. Remy, always the bolder of the two because of his age, trotted right up to the stairs and made his way to the newcomer’s door, sitting outside and whining to be let in. 

Price watched carefully to see what Simon would do. If the boy showed any intent to hurt his dog, he wouldn’t hesitate to stop him. But all that happened was Simon opening the door, a ghost of a smile crossing his face as he saw the tiny puppy. A cautious hand was extended and when Remy sniffed at it and licked it, Simon carefully scooped up the dog and retreated back into his room. 

“Well, as long as he doesn’t hurt Remy, I see no reason why I should interfere.” Price muttered to himself as he started to clean up the dishes. 

Once everything was clean, Price made sure he had locked his gun and badge in his safe and doubled checked the doors were locked. This was a routine he did every night, but tonight it wasn’t just for him. It was for the scared teen upstairs too. 

Assured that everything was secure, Price made his way upstairs. He stopped outside the closed door to the teen’s room and spoke softly, but just loud enough to be heard. “There are two bathrooms upstairs. One is next to my room on the left, the other is down the hall on the left. My bedroom is directly across from yours. Feel free to use either bathroom, and if you need anything, don’t hesitate to knock on my door,” he paused for a bit, then carried on, “I’m a very light sleeper. My older dog stays with me every night, so don’t let that alarm you if you come in. Remy can stay with you tonight, he’ll keep you safe. I’m always awake by 6am every day, so feel free to come down any time after that. I’ll leave breakfast on the table for you before I leave for work.” 

Message delivered, Price headed into the bathroom next to his bedroom and closed the door, locking it as he prepared for bed. 

Simon stayed in his room, petting the puppy until he was sure Price was asleep for the night. Once he was assured the man wouldn’t be leaving his room, Simon carefully stepped out of the bedroom, making his way to the bathroom down the hall. He took the first long, hot shower of his life, feeling himself relax for the first time. 

Maybe this won’t be so bad he dared to think as he washed his hair. The food had been filling and tasty, and the man seemed to respect that Simon needed space. He wasn’t forcing him to spend time with him, nor was he blustering about his authority over Simon. Price was also very good at communicating with him, letting him know about things like his routine and his boundaries. 

Tuning off the water, Simon got out of the shower and toweled off. He looked at himself in the foggy mirror, hating his sallow skin, his sunken eyes and the bruises and scars that marred his skin. Turning away, he dressed for bed and made his way back to the room he was sleeping in. 

When he opened the door, Remy trotted right up to him, tail wagging. Simon smiled and patted the puppy as he climbed into bed. Ashamed of how childish it was, he left the bedside light on as he settled in to sleep. Remy hopped onto the bed and settled down next to Simon, tail tucked over his nose as he fell asleep. 

Smiling at the sight, Simon eventually drifted off as well. 

The next day, Simon woke up on his own. No one yelled at him to get up, no one threw anything at him, or hit him. He just naturally opened his eyes. For a moment, he was confused, his chest tightened and he couldn’t breathe as he looked around the unfamiliar room. Then, Remy was there, licking his face and nuzzling him, slowly helping him ground himself and remember what had happened. A glance at the clock showed it was about 9:30 am. Price had long since gone to work, and Simon was alone in the house with the dogs. He got out of bed, making his way downstairs. Colt was in the living room, chewing on a ball. He looked up when Simon passed, and gave a low bark in greeting, tail wagging. Simon offered the dog a smile and headed into the kitchen. Sure enough, there was a note on the counter from Price. 

“Simon,

Good morning. I made pancakes and eggs for breakfast. They’re on a plate in the fridge. If you want bacon, there’s some pre-cooked in the fridge as well, just heat it up. You’re on your own today, feel free to explore the house and get to know the place. Basement and pool are off limits for now. A friend of mine, Elias, might be stopping by later with some ribs for dinner. I left a picture of him by the door so you’ll know who he is. Otherwise, don’t answer the door for anyone. If you want to take the dogs out to the backyard, I’m sure they’d love it. I’ll be home around 9:30. If you have an emergency, call the station and ask for me, or call my cell phone if you need to. Both numbers are at the bottom.

Price.” 

Simon read over the note, feeling tension he didn’t know he had drain from his body. Price’s requests weren’t unreasonable, and he’d made food for Simon again. Opening the fridge, he took out the plate, unwrapped and popped it in the microwave, heating it up. 

His day passed in peace, for once in his life. Simon relaxed, getting to know the house and playing with the dogs. He made a sandwich for lunch, napped on the couch, watched some TV and just...enjoyed himself. It was a feeling he wasn’t used to, but one he could see himself getting comfortable with. 

Around five, there was a knock on the door. Simon looked up, checking the man standing there against the picture Price had left him. It was Elias, so he opened the door. 

“You must be Price’s boy. I’m Elias, I’m your guardian’s friend. Did he tell you I was coming?” 

Price’s boy. A feeling Simon couldn’t describe washed over him at being called that. It wasn’t unpleasant. He gave a nod to the man, and stepped aside to let him enter. Both dogs ran up to him, tails wagging. 

“Hey boys, good to see you. No, Riley isn’t here today, sorry.” 

Simon gave a jump at hearing his last name and Elias smiled. “Riley’s my dog. He’s a retired K-9 like Colt here, but he loves these guys.” 

Simon just gave another nod. 

“Quiet one huh? No worries though, it doesn’t bother me. Anyway, I’m gonna put the ribs in the fridge,” he said as he made his way to the kitchen with the teen tailing a few feet away behind him, heading for the refrigerator, opening it and putting the ribs inside. Then he spun around and gazed at the teen again and stated, “I added a side of fries to them, but they’ve been cooked through. Just re-heat them and eat,” Elias offered a smile. “Price is a good man. I hope you like it here.”   
Hesitantly, Simon smiled back. ‘I hope so too.’ His sign language was clumsy, but he thought he’d gotten the message across. 

Elias’s smile widened and he nodded. “I’m sure you will. I’d better be going, tell Price I said hello, and now it’s his turn to cook me dinner.” 

With that, he was gone and the house was still again. 

Price came home at about 10, looking worn out. He took off his gun belt, locked it up, and ran his hands over his hair with a sigh. “What a long day today.” 

Simon waited until the gun was put away before he did anything. He remembered what happened when his father had come home stressed after a long day at work, and it had never been good. He was just waiting for Price to snap and start attacking him. When Price spoke, he offered a hesitant, ‘I’m sorry.’ 

Price gave a tired smile at the clumsy sign. “It’s not your fault kid. Just...a lot going on is all. Why don’t we have dinner, eh? Everything looks better after a good meal.” 

Simon nodded, heading to the kitchen with Price. Together the two heated up the ribs and fries Elias had brought over, but Simon didn’t feel up to eating with Price still and retreated back up to his room. 

Price smiled at the retreating figure. He was making progress, slowly but surely. Simon was talking to him, in a fashion, and seemed a little more relaxed than he had been. 

He ate his dinner and cleaned up before making his way back up to Simon’s room and knocking. 

“Hey, so I have tomorrow off,” Price started. “I thought we could do some shopping for you if you’re up to it. I know a mall a few towns away,” he paused for a few seconds before adding, “Only if you want to though.” 

There was silence on the other side before the door opened slowly and Simon gave a nod before swiftly closing the door again. 

Price smiled again as he went to get ready for bed. Tomorrow would be his chance to bond more with the teen and help him get comfortable. 

Simon lay down to sleep with nerves pooling in his stomach. He trusted Price, however faintly though, to get him through this safely. Reassuring himself with that thought, it wasn’t long until he finally drifted off to sleep that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you to my bf, my beta reader, and my group chat for letting me word vomit into the void.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, thank you to my beta reader, my awesome boyfriend and my COD discord group for letting me scream ideas at them and offering suggestions.


End file.
